Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1887-12-29

Comment Upon the Action OF
the Bank.
Bank Examiner Richards Furnishes
Some Further Information.
SAco, Dec. 2S.
Harry McNeally, brotEsr of the Saco de
faulter returned from Halifax this forenoon
that the bank would not lose dollar by
the defalcatiOn.
| did say, said he. that neither | nor
my brother Frank wanted the bank to lose a
dollar and if ever the time came when We
could we would make good to them every
dollar He denied having stated in Halifax
that the stolen securities were all returned to
the bank from Cairo and that he gave no in
formation regarding them. He said the bank
had made no trade for the recovery of the
securities and no trade was even talked of
( When asked if he had any doubt that the
bank would recover the securities he replied
II have no doubt they viii recover them in
time" He declined to be interviewed re-
garding his brothers intended movements
or where the stolen scurtles are.
| The bank officers all admit that none of
the stolen bonds have ever been recovered
! They are of the opinion that the securities
are somewhere on the other side of the At
lantic, but none of them will admit that they
know where they are.
[ The information given in last evenings
dispatches to the effect that the bonds were
hidden in Cairo, Egypt, came from the de-
faulter through a confidential source. Pres
ident Goodale today said that the bank had
made no compromise with McNeally. The
first letter received from the defaulter was
sent from Cairo i'll October and contained an
offer To return the securities for $50, 900. if
the bank would promise not to prosecute
him. The trustees refused to entertain the
proposition and no further attempt of nego-
tiation was made by McNeally. When next
heard from the defaulter was on his way to
I Halifax.
PORTLAND Dee. 2S.
The directors of the Saco 4 Biddeford Saw
ings Institution were in Portland today, and
in an interview President Goodalc made the
following statements
lis there any truth in the rumor that the
trustees of the Saco & Biddeford Savings In
stitution have compromised or intend to com
promise or compound felony with Frank
McNcallyY'
None, whatever.
when did the bank first learn anything
about the stolen bonds
by a letter dated and posted in Egypt
near the end of October last, proposing to re-
turn the bonds for $50, ,000 if the trustees
would agree not to prosecute. The trustees
absolutely refused to entertain any such
I proposition, and at no time since have the
trustees sought the return of the bonds upon
the condition that they would cease to prose-
cute whenever McNeally came with
in the States jurisdiction; they would
not if they could; and they knew
they could not if they would.
No inducement or reward has been offered to
Frank McNeally for the return of the secu-
rites. nor has any one in behalf of the trus
tees been authorized to make such an offer. .
"Why was no more effort made to bring
! McNeally within the jurisdiction of our
courts. or to prosecute him while he was in
Canada"
1--WE were advised that he could not be
extradited from Canada for the crime for
which he was indicted in York county; we
were also advised that he could not be pros
ecuted in Canada unless some of the prop
erty was found upon him; none of the secu-
rites were So found, SO he could not be pros
ecuted there nor brought here, and we thought
we should not be justified in spending the
money of our depositors in fruitless and use"
less efforts in that direction"
"Have the stolen bonds or any of them
been returned to the Bank"
Not one
Have the trustees any knowledge where
they arey'
None, whatever, save the alleged state
ment of Frank McNeally that they are abroad
somewhere.
II seems BY the above interview that the
officials of the bank have acted discreetly
and wisely and there has never been any in'
tention on their part TO compromise with the
absconding criminal, or to save him from
punishment. They have shown great anxiety
to secure the property for their depositors
bu, never with the view to prevent the pun.
ishment of MeNeally.
dispatch from Halifax says: Frank Me
Neally has not been heard from since he
left Halifax Monday evening, but it is con
fidently believed that he is still in some part
of the province of New Brunswick.
The Halifax Mail publishes the following
editorially
The circumstances attending the compro'
mise which the authorities of the Saco Bank
have evidently made with Frank c. McNeai'
w, the youthful embezzler, are most certain
" of a very suspicious character. BY com
promising with this young thief the bank an
thorities have placed premium on fraud
The public would taboo man who had been
bribed to aid criminal to escape, ana tnere
sbould be some way of severely Furnishing
tho hank authorities if they have been brioed
hx The return of the bonds to connive at Nc